Farrell O'Gara

FARRELL O'GARA('S REEL) {Fearghal Ó Gadhra}. AKA and see "Falcarragh Reel," "Faral O'Gara," "Fergal O'Gara," "Fearghal Ó Gadhra," "Grondeuse (2)," "Silver Spire (The)." Irish, Reel. D Major. Standard tuning (fiddle). AAB (Miller & Perron): AABB' (O'Malley). One of the "big reels" in modern session playing. Brendan Breathnach (1963) remarks that it has been said that the Farrell O'Gara of the title was Lord Moy O'Gara who gave shelter to the Four Masters. "Farrell O'Gara" was recorded several times during the 78 RPM era by the great New York City based Sligo fiddlers: Michael Coleman recorded it in 1927 (paired with "Good Morning to Your Nightcap"), James Morrison under the title "Roderick," and Paddy Killoran as "Shannon's Favorite." See also the recording below by John McGrath, who emigrated to the United States in 1928 and was a contemporary and friend of Coleman and Morrison. The melody was recorded famously on 78 RPM by fiddlers Paddy Sweeney and Paddy Killoran in New York in 1931, paired with another, different, reel called "Silver Spire (The)," however, so influential was the pairing that there occasionally has been confusion of titles. Around the same time a Highland fling version was recorded by fiddler John McGettigan, originally from Glenree, Donegal.